Xfce Forum

Mungo

Member

Registered: 2019-09-22

Posts: 2

Can't find any disks on MX linux live usb| on WIN10 and BIOS I can

I successfully installed different Linux distros via live USB on different HDDs and SSDs in the past - like MINT, Manjaro, Arch,...

Today I first tried to install Manjaro via live USB(FAT32) on my HDD. Turns out I couldn't find any of my disks. Not with any terminal command (like fdisk -) nor with gparted or any of the already preinstalled applications.

So I checked BIOS. It listed all my disks (I even switched from IDE to AHCI). I booted WIN10 and it listed all my disks.

I then thought maybe the live USB is at fault so I made another one with MX Linux. Tried again. Same result.

Back on Windows I checked the format of my target HDD. It was NTFS so I switched it to ext4.

Didn't help. Nothing helped so far. Been googling for hours.

If you have any ideas or even solutions I'd be very thankful.

PS: On my HDD were some ~100MB System stuff of my WIN10 SSD and since I formatted it to ext4 it's now all gone... So now I'm left with the working live USB stick unable to install an OS. I guess I just shouldn't do computers and stuff...

Aravisian

Member

Registered: 2019-08-17

Posts: 410

Re: Can't find any disks on MX linux live usb| on WIN10 and BIOS I can

I guess I just shouldn't do computers and stuff...

Don't let it get you down. Next you might say you shouldn't do driving and stuff the next time you missed a turn.

I successfully installed different Linux distros via live USB on different HDDs and SSDs in the past - like MINT, Manjaro, Arch,...

How long has it been since you have done so and were you loading them alongside Windows 10?
Windows has changed a few things and now, you have to release the disk and partitions from Windows control before you can do anything with your Linux Installation.
Now, admittedly, this does not quite sound like the problem you are having and I may be wrong... But I would rather you have a response that gives you a known starting point to investigate while you await further responses.
On some machines, like HP, you must check if it created 4 primary partitions, otherwise you will get a failed installation.
In Windows, (I do not know the path to navigate) you must go into settings and disable "fast boot."
Windows Fast Boot locks the partitions in.
Then boot into BIOS and disable fast boot there. Also enable Legacy mode.

Mungo

Member

Registered: 2019-09-22

Posts: 2

Re: Can't find any disks on MX linux live usb| on WIN10 and BIOS I can

Thank you very much, especially for your motivational ecouragement.

It's been a while since I installed any Linux on any HDD or SSD and I always wiped the disks and never had any other in my system. Only one.

I think I already disabled fast boot - I will check on it.

'Releasing the disk' sounds like my original Problem. I guess I need to repair WIN10 before I can do that. Like I said, 100MB System were stored on the HDD and the rest was on my SSD. I thought I released my HDD by formatting it to ext4 with RUFUS on WIN10. But obviously I didn't...

I guess I'll make a WIN10 USB and repair what's left and see what happens then. And check for a way to release my disk without entering WIN10.

Thank you very much so far.

Jerry3904

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 863

Re: Can't find any disks on MX linux live usb| on WIN10 and BIOS I can

Try inside the installed MX version

sudo update-grub

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